Goulburn Murray Water

In a previous role, GRS Director created and implemented a corporate communications strategy to establish trust among Goulburn-Murray Water’s key stakeholders and communities.

The strategy focused on re-establishing close relations with the state government at board and executive level, and building government and community-wide acceptance for Goulburn-Murray Water’s decisions in the context of the Victorian Government’s vision for the ‘State of Water’ and sustainable water management.

This involved:

working closely with Goulburn Murray Water’s chairman, chief executive and executive management team to create a substantial and effective corporate communications capability within the authority; this involved creating a comprehensive media program involving drought crisis communications and media relations in response to the extreme seasonal conditions of 2002/2003 while keeping the government well informed and supportive of decisions

identifying issues, supporting and preparing the executive team for media interviews, and coordinating media management. The results included the effective diffusion of emerging drought issues such as:

the possible closure of Lake Eildon

drainage of Lake Eppalock and the 57 per cent ‘Water Right’ allocation

proposed channel piping

enhancement of the emergency response program and training by developing and implementing media and communications components.

Outcomes of the project included the Authority being recognised as the national leader in water management and state government and grower funding for the Eildon Weir upgrade and other dam improvements during a period of significant drought and irrigation water shortages.